-Comparing Islam and Christianity #4: The Holy Spirit

Islam and Christianity have very different understandings of what and who the Holy Spirit is:

1. In Christianity, Holy Spirit is God, has all the divine attributes, and is part of the Trinity: God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit came upon the prophets and inspired those who wrote the Scriptures.

Jesus taught that after he was gone that the Holy Spirit would come to dwell with the believers. The Holy Spirit is the Comforter, Counselor, Advocate, and Teacher (John 14-16).

Christianity teaches that the believer is the Temple of God and the Holy Spirit dwells within the Christian to guide and empower each one (Rom. 8:9, 1Cor. 6:19).

2. Islam teaches that the Angel Gabriel is the Holy Spirit. Also, that Gabriel delivered the words of Allah to Moses and the Prophets, and later to Muhammad; and they merely wrote them down (Ali pg 16-21).

Islam teaches that the ‘Paraclete’, the comforter, counselor, advocate, and teacher that came after Jesus was really the Prophet Muhammad. Further, that Muhammad was greater than all the prophets before him including Jesus.

According to Islam, Allah doesn’t dwell with or have fellowship with any person, neither was man created in his image.

Comments: Praise God and be thankful all you Christians, our God has fellowship with us and dwells within. We are the temple of the Holy Spirit and because of Christ will dwell with him forever.

References: “Islam and The Bible: Why Two Faiths Collide”, By David Goldmann (Chicago: Moody Pub., 2004, 174 pgs.) Pg. 36;“Unveiling Islam”, by Ergun Mehmet Caner & Emir Fethi Caner (Grandrapids, MI: Kregel Pub., 2002, 256 pgs.) Pg. 215-217;

“Differences: The Bible and The Koran”, by Ben J. Smith (Nashville, TN: Cumberland House Pub., 2002, 157 pgs.) Pgs. 65-70, 79-80;

“The Religion of Islam”, by Maulana Muhammad Ali (Dublin, Ohio:The Ahmadiyya Anjuman Isha’At Islam, 1990, 617 pgs.) Pg. 169;

“The Qur’an” English Translation, by M.H. Shakir (Elmhurst,NY: Tahrike Tarsile Qur’an, Inc., 15th edition, 2005)

“The Holy Bible, English Standard Version” (Wheaton, Ill.: Good News Pub., 2001)